When you’re creating an RP, there are some questions you should be prepared to answer, as they tend to be very common. Having an answer at the ready can be a good look on you, especially if you are new to owning RPs or simply new to the community. Even aside that, it’s always good to know what questions you should already know the answer to, newbie or veteran.
When are signups due?
I ask this question literally every time I go to a signup for a new rp because I like to know how much time I have to get a character in, and if I have time to get the character in by that date. As well, if the deadline conflicts with one of a different rp. The answer to this question usually affects my number of reserves and whether I even make a reserve, ‘cause I don’t want to end up so stressed that I can barely breathe. Rping is supposed to be fun!
This question doesn’t need to have a specific answer, you can say “About two weeks from now” or “Mid August”, just giving a timeframe is good. If you want to wait until the characters come in, that’s great as well. Some RPs don’t have signup due dates, because they’ll always be open. That’s fine, say that when I ask you and then I’ll switch to another question:
When does the RP start?
I think this is a pretty important question because signups could be due a certain date, but if the rp is going to start weeks after that date, the rper’s availability can change. For the most part, RPs can be time consuming, which is why you should make it clear when you predict you will start so that the rpers can plan accordingly. Also, a start date is a good thing for you, the rp creator, to have in mind as well, since you don’t want to start your rp right in the middle of exam season. That’ll obviously affect the activity of your rp, since most people who would join will be studying for their exams. And you definitely don’t want to start an Rp when you won’t be active. You’re the one in charge of the rp, and while it takes a group effort to keep it going, ultimately, if you aren’t active, the rp will die. Yeah, pushing back the start date isn’t ideal, but it’s better than starting an rp and then disappearing and leaving it to collect dust instead of character scenes.
How many characters can I reserve?
Some people can handle a large number of characters while others can’t so much. Regardless of their preference, what is yours? Is there a maximum of characters you want in the whole rp? If yes, then you might want to think about limiting the characters each rper can make. It’s a good idea to be clear with this, perhaps putting a count in the OP, so that people who see your RP know it’s best to act fast. If you don’t see the need for a limit and your signups will always be open, keep in mind that you may end up with a whole whack of characters.
What were my reserves?
If you have a long period of time for people to signup, chances are that they’re going to procrastinate and you’re going to post a reminder tag for them, and then they’ll ask this question. They could easily search through the signups for their reserves, but they’ll probably think asking you is easier. So, when people start reserving, you should probably make a list. Not just for your reference, but for their own too. If they know that list is there, they’ll just go to that post instead of asking you at all! Besides, having a list can help you easily find out the gender ratio of the characters, which can be useful if you want the genders to be even, rather than there being two females to every one male. Or maybe you want that, in which case a list would allow you to see that.
Is there an age range?
Where is your rp set? Is it a college? High school? Middle school? Workplace? Fantastical world? Either way, you need to establish how old you want the characters to be. Are high school students appropriate for a reality dating TV show? Are hobbling seniors appropriate for an adventure story? Is a certain age required for the rp to work or do you have the type of rp that is open to all ages? It’s up to you. This should probably already be answered in your description of the rp, but if it’s unclear, then make sure you have the answer at the ready.
Does my FC have to be real?
If you’re making a fantasy rp, you might get this question. Some fantasy RPs allow their fcs to be OCs or animated while others require them to be of real people. Usually, it’s either one or the other (except if it’s the character in an alternate form), so you should decide what you’d rather your fcs to be filled with: animated characters or real people? Most people will assume regular people, so if you actually wanted animated fcs, you should certainly make that clear in the OP and even clearer if somebody asked for confirmation.
These are the most common questions I have seen and asked, but I’m sure there are some I’ve forgotten so feel free to add other questions someone should be prepared for when creating an RP~! 
